The What and the Why of Leg Up

About 6 months ago, I woke up on a Friday morning with a clear idea of something to do. This is not a very common state for me to find myself in. The following day, I set up a Squarespace site and lo and behold, within a couple of hours, Leg Up became a thing. I shared it with colleagues and friends and very quickly I started hearing from people who wanted to get, and to give, a Leg Up.

Thanks to each and every one of you who did.

But let’s reverse for a second. Where did Leg Up spring from?

What is Leg Up?

Leg Up is a free (and hassle-free) way for people who need advice or perspective to access it.

If you’re starting out in your career, unhappy in your job, curious about a completely different path or just feeling a bit lost or stuck, it can be hard to know where to turn, who to ask, or how to even start thinking about it. In my experience, a good chat with the right person can help you see the way forward. However, finding the right person to speak to can be hard.

Some people have well-connected relatives, alumni organisations, or professional networks to call on. Most people however, do not, and that lack of access is a fundamental problem when it comes to cultivating a fulfilling work life.

Life coaching is often a smart choice for those who can afford it, but many can’t.

Attending events can be a great way to meet people but a) pandemic, b) you have to know which events to go to c) you have to be brave enough to go up and talk to someone and d) a casual conversation with someone you just met is often not the best place to knead out your thoughts and concerns.

In essence, Leg Up aims to bridge the gap for people who need gaps bridged. By listening to what people want to learn and then making connections to others with relevant experience or insight, we skip the nerve-wracking approach stage and get right to the heart of a good chat.

Leg Up already has over 50 fantastic volunteers and chats have already taken place around topics as diverse as publishing, policy-making, architecture and breaking into the music industry, to name but a few.

If you want to volunteer your time, please click here to sign up. And thank you, truly.

If you want to get a Leg Up from someone, sign up here please. And thank you too!

What now?

The next phase of Leg Up has seen me formalising my systems on the backend, setting up a Twitter account (it’s the only social medium I can stomach), setting up this blog, and plotting what else Leg Up could offer. I’m all ears for suggestions if you have any.

If you find yourself reading this, please follow Leg Up on Twitter and share with your pals. Even one pal. Even an enemy. Everyone deserves a boost.

And thanks. None of this exists without the support of decent souls like yourself.

When I have more information or news to share, I’ll post about it here so, as they say, watch this space…